Hug A Boise Geologist Or Skip A Rock On Sunday

BOISE, ID — Approximately 64 to 100 million years ago, Boise was ocean front property. The ocean floor, otherwise known as the Pacific Plate, was being pulled both downward and sideways beneath the land mass, also known as the American Plate. According the Bureau of Land Management, heat and pressure melted the plate material with the lighter magma rising up through the crust. This magma then cooled and crystallized, forming the Idaho Batholith.

For proof of this, Boise hikers need to to nothing more than take a trek along the Upper Hulls Gulch Trailhead. Along the trail, granitic rocks form the backbone of west-central Idaho.

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We know all this due to the work of geologists. And on Sunday, April 4, we celebrate Geologist's Day.

The first Sunday in April was originally designated by the Soviet Union in 1966. In addition to geologists, the day also is set aside for geophysicists and geochemists. The first Sunday was chosen as it celebrates the end of winter and the time for summer field work for geologists. The day for rock men and women is now celebrated across the world.

Rocks are so important to Boise the city has a museum dedicated entirely to geology and mining. Located next to the old Idaho Pen, the museum is free to tour, but open on a limited basis. Inside the museum is a working siesmic station tracking earthquakes around the world. In 2015, the station recorded a quake in Nepal, a distance of over 9,000 miles.

For more information on times and special events, visit here.

So how can we celebrate this national day?

- Take a child down to the Boise River and skip a rock.

- Rocks have increasingly become popular to paint and hide. A Boise Facebook group brings these people together, offering suggestions and support while tracking places the rocks are found.

- Take a hike in the foothills above Boise and observe the different rock formations, some over 6 millions years of age.

- If you have a geologist in the house, professional or amateur, congratulate them on their day and offer a hug. Remember, geologists spend their days in the middle of nowhere with snakes and sunburns and would appreciate a hug on their special day.

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